50 Percent of Food is Wasted Causing Water, Food and Hunger Crisis, Says SIWI, FAO and IWMI

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Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)

50 Percent of Food is Wasted Causing Water, Food and Hunger Crisis, Says

SIWI, FAO and IWMI

2008-08-21 12:19 Siwilogon_small

To meet the challenge of feeding growing populations and the global

hungry, massive reductions in the amount of food wasted after production

are needed. The Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), the Food

and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the

International Water Management Institute (IWMI) released on Thursday,

August 21, a policy brief " Saving Water: From Field to Fork - Curbing

Losses and Wastage in the Food Chain, " that calls on governments to

reduce by half, by 2025, the amount of food that is wasted after it is

grown andoutlines attainable steps for this be achieved.

Tossed Food: Like Leaving the Tap Running

Tremendous quantities of food are discarded in processing, transport,

supermarkets and people's kitchens. This wasted food is also wasted

water. In the US, for instance, as much as 30 percent of food, worth

some USD 48.3 billion, is thrown away. That's like leaving the tap

running and pouring 40 trillion litres of water into the garbage can -

enough water to meet the household needs of 500 million people. Through

international trade, savings in one country might benefit communities in

other parts of the world.

More than enough food is produced to feed a healthy global population.

Distribution and access to food is a problem - many are hungry, while at

the same time many over-eat. The Report highlights an often overlooked

problem: we are providing food to take care of not only our necessary

consumption but also our wasteful habits.

" As much as half of the water used to grow food globally may be lost or

wasted, " says Dr. Charlotte de Fraiture, Researcher at IWMI. " Curbing

these losses and improving water productivity provides win-win

opportunities for farmers, business, ecosystems, and the global hungry.

An effective water-saving strategy requires that minimising food wastage

is firmly placed on the political agenda. "

Food production is constrained by the availability of water and land

resources. An estimated 1.2 billion people already live in areas where

there is not enough water to meet demand. And with rising demand for

water-intensive agricultural products, such as beef and bioenergy,

pressure mounts.According to the Comprehensive Assessment of Water

Management in Agriculture 2007, these trends will lead to crises in many

places, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. " Unless we

change our practices, water will be a key constraint to food production

in the future, " said Dr. Pasquale Steduto of FAO.

Saving Water from Field to Fork'

Water losses accumulate as food is wasted before and after it reaches

the consumer. In poorer countries, a majority of uneaten food is lost

before it has a chance to be consumed. Depending on the crop, an

estimated 15-35 percent of food may be lost in the field. Another 10-15

percent is discarded during processing, transport and storage. In richer

countries, production is more efficient but waste is greater: people

toss the food they buy and all the resources used to grow, ship and

produce the food along with it. The Report stresses that the magnitude

of current food losses presents both challenges and opportunities.

" Improving water productivity and reducing the quantity of food that is

wasted can enable us to provide a better diet for the poor and enough

food for growing populations, " says Prof. Jan Lundqvist of SIWI.

" Reaching the target we propose, a 50 percent reduction of losses and

wastage in the production and consumption chain is a necessary and

achievable goal. " The report will be freely available at www.siwi.org

August 21.

Ladda ned som Word-dokument

Evenemang

World Water Week in Stockholm

2008-08-19 21:58

Tid: 2008-08-17 - 2008-08-22

Plats: Stockholmsmässan, Stockholm /Sweden

The World Water Week in Stockholm is the leading annual global meeting

place for capacity-building, partnership-building and follow-up on the

implementation of international processes and programmes in water and

development. The theme of the week is Progress and Prospects on Water:

For a Clean and Healthy World with Special Focus on Sanitation.

http://www.worldwaterweek.org/

Dokument

Background Facts on " Field to Fork "

2008-08-21 12:15

Background story in the press-kit for the World Water Week in Stockhom 2008.

SIWI policy brief " From Field to Fork "

2008-08-21 12:14

To meet the challenge of feeding growing populations and the global

hungry, massive reductions in the amount of food wasted after production

are needed. The Report highlights an often overlooked problem: we are

providing food to take care of not only our necessary consumption but

also our wasteful habits.

Kontaktpersoner

Blenckner - Communication, Media relations

2008-08-19 21:47

Blenckner acting Communications Director at SIWI, works with

communication and media relations during World Water Week.

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